Pneumatic thread control for weft replenishing looms



April 30, 1940. R, G, TURNER 2,199,354

PNEUMATIC THREAD CONTROL FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Original FiledMarch 31, 1958 2 Shets-Sheet 1 Inventov Ruzhard G. Turner Attorney April1940- R. G. TURNER ,199,354

PNEUMATIC THREAD CONTROL FOR WEFT REPLENISHING LOOMS Original FiledMarch 51, 1938 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 6 lnventov 0 Richard Giuwner 6 AttorneyPatented Apr. 30, 1940 UNITED STATES PNEUMATIC THREAD CONTROL FOR WEFIREPLENISHING LOOMS Richard G. Turner, Worcester, Mass assignor toCrompton dz Knowles Loom Mass., a corporation of Works, Worcester,Massachusetts Application March 31, 1938, Serial No. 199,169 RenewedMarch 8, 1940 19 Claims. (01. 139-241) This invention relates toimprovements in pneumatic thread holding or removing devices for weftreplenishing looms and the method of their operation. One importantobject of the invention is to provide an improved holder into which theweft ends of reserve bobbins are drawn by pneumatic action. I

In bobbin changing looms a magazine is provided to hold reverse bobbinsfrom which weft ends extend toward a thread holder. At the time oftransfer the bobbin freshly inserted into the depleted shuttle can bethreaded because of the fact that the weft end is held comparativelyfixed with respect to the loom.

As the reserve bobbins await transfer their weft ends have a tendency totwist on each other the eifect of which is to render diflicult if notimpossible the separation from the twisted thread mass of the threadattached to the freshly transferred bobbin. It is an important object ofmy present invention to provide an accumulator for weft ends locatedclose to the intake of the thread holding system so that the threadsresulting from previous transfers may form a ball or mass of yarn withwhich the weft ends of the reserve bobbins become entangled. This massof threads provides an anchorage for the weft ends beyond the intake ofthe thread holder and serves to keep the threads in a more or'lessparallel relationship and thereby prevent twisting. As a result of thisconstruction the thread of a freshly transferred bobbin, not beingtwisted on other threads outside of the holder, can be drawn into thelatter and the accumulator and thus be entirely removed from the zone ofinfluence of moving parts of the loom, such as the shuttle or lay.

At the time of transfer there are ordinarily two threads which must beremoved from the path of the shuttle, one of which is connected to thereserve bobbin already mentioned. The other thread is that which extendsfrom the selvage to the outgoing bobbin, usually cut close to thetemple, and removed either by the downward motion of the expelled bobbinor by mechanism specially constructed for the purpose. It is a furtherobject of my present inventionto provide a pneumatic thread extractorfor this second thread also connected to the accumulator so that thelatter serves for the reception of both threads.

By this arrangement the aforesaid mass or ball of yarn is increased insize because of the threads received from the extractor, and entry ofthe thread from the extractor into the accumulator assists in entanglingand insuring anchorage for the weft ends of the reserve bobbins.

When fresh bobbins are inserted into a magazine the weft ends areordinarily drawn away from the magazine toward the end of the loom to beattached to some form of thread holder. Where the thread holder is ofthe pneumatic type it is necessary to provide some means for passingthese reserve ends into the mouth or intake of the holding system. Tofacilitate entry of the threads it is a further object of my inventionto provide a movable intake operable preferably manually, so constructedthat the intake can be moved to an upwardly facing position so the weftends can be laid across and drawn into it, after which the intake ismoved angularly so that it faces the magazine to permit the weft ends tobe drawn thereinto along substantially straight lines.

It is a further object of my present invention to create a vacuum in theaccumulator by a connection from a pump entering the top of theaccumulator, while the thread extractor and thread holder mechanismscommunicate with the bottom of the accumulator. This has the effect ofdrawing the weft ends up into the mass of threads in the accumulator. Ifind it desirable to place a baiiie or the like between the intakes ofthese two systems so that the drafts of air will not interfere with eachother sufilciently to impede correct entry of the threads. In thisconnection I find it desirable also to introduce'a rod or similar devicein the accumulator to prevent the mass or ball of yarn from rotatingunder pneumatic action. With certain types of yarns rotation of the massof threads in the accumulator may subject the weft ends to too muchtension and also twist the weft ends together, and it is to preventthese disturbances that I prefer to use means to prevent rotation of themass of threads.

It is a further object of my invention to provide an improved method forattaching reserve bobbin weft ends to a ball or mass of threads so thatthe latter can act as a holder for the ends. This method consists inblowing the ends into a group of loosely entangled threads through whichthe draft of air passes to carry the ends into holding relation with themass.

Certain features of this invention constitute improvements over thestructure set forth in my co-pending application Serial No. 166,571, andthe extractor may be as set forth more fully in my co-pendingapplication Serial No. 190,637.

, With these and other objects in view which will appear as thedescription proceeds, my invention resides in the combination andarrangement of'parts hereinafter described and set forth.

In the accompanying drawings wherein a convenient embodiment of myinvention is set forth,

Fig. 1 is an end elevation of the upper part of a weft replenishing loomhaving my invention applied thereto,

Fig. 2 is a plan view taken in the direction of arrow 2, Fig. 1,

Fig. 3 is an enlarged front elevation taken in the direction of arrow 5,Fig. 1,

Fig. 4 is a horizontal section on line 4-4 of Fig. 3 looking in thedirection of the arrows,

Fig. 5 is a section on line 5-5 of Fig. 3,

Fig. 6 is a longitudinal vertical section on line 5-8 of Fig. 4, v

Fig. '7 is a horizontal section on line 'I-I of Fig. 6,

Figs. 8 and 9 are detailed vertical sections on line A-A, Fig. 4,showing the intake and its manual control in two different positions,and

Fig. 10 is a diagrammatic view in front elevation of the extractor andthread holder together with the magazine and shuttle.

Referring to the drawings, particularly Figs. 1 I

and 2, I have shown a loom frame I 0 having a crank shaft II which makesone revolution for each beat of the loom. The lay I1 is reciprocated bypower derived from the crank shaft and transmitted through connectors I3and is provided with a transfer bunter II to engage a latch l5 ontransferring beats of the loom. The latch is carried by the lower end ofa transferring arm i5 pivoted as at II to fixed structure on the loomframe and cooperates with a magazine designated generally at M and setforth herein as provided with two stacks of distinctive reserve bobbinsB and B. By means of a rod I8 connected to a lever I! the magazine isrocked about its fixed pivotal support to move one or the other of thestacks of reserve bobbins into operative relation with respect to thetransferrer arm I 6. The lever I! may be rocked by means of a dependingrod 2| connected by mechanism not shown to cause rocking of the magazinein time with the shifting of a gang of shuttle boxes at the opposite endof the loom not shown herein. It is to be understood that the loom willoperate with two weaving shuttles either one of which may become activewhenever required by the demands of the pattern being woven. For afurther description of the magazine and the means by which it may berocked reference may be had to my Patent No. 2,128,974, issued September6, 1939.

A pneumatic pump cylinder is held by a bracket 25 secured to the loomframe and has a piston 21 operated by a connector rod 25 pivoted to theupper end of a'lever 30. The latter is pivoted near-the bottom of theloom as at 3| and at a point intermediate its length is attached to anoperating rod 32 connected to the lay as at 33. The pivotal connection34, between rod 32 and lever may be chosen to give the piston 21 thedesired stroke. As the lay recedes. or moves to the right of the frontcenter or transfer posltion shown in Fig. 1, the piston 21 will moverearwardly to create a partial vacuum in the left part of the cylinder25, and as the lay moves forwardly from its rearmost position the pistonwill advance. tion a partial vacuum is set up in the cylinder for eachbeat of the loom, starting with and continuing throughout the rearwardstroke of the lay. Leading forwardly from the cylinder is By thisconstruca tube 35 connected to an accumulator to be described.

Details of the cylinder are not given herein, as they are set forth inmy co-pending application Serial No. 166,571, to which reference may behad for further understanding of the construction and operation of thepump. It is deemed sufficient for present purposes to state that duringrearward motion of the lay a vacuum will be created in tube I5. While Ihave shown a pump yet I do not wish to be limited to this particularmeans for inducing a vacuum in tube 35.

A thread extractor designated generally at E and shown more particularlyin Figs. 2 and 10 comprises a head adapted for the entry of a weftthread 35 extending from the selvage of the cloth F to the right and infront of said extractor head, as viewed in Figs. 2 and 10. The extractorhead is mounted on a rod ll which may be raised and lowered with respectto the lay and is under control of the transfer mechanism by means of alug l2 projecting laterally from the head and under a projection 43 onthe transferrer arm l5. Whenever the latter is depressed in well-knownmanner to effect transfer the head III will be lowered from its normallyraised position. A tube 44 extends outwardly from the head III to theaccumulator C to be described. For further details of the threadextractor E and its mode of operation and support reference may be hadto my co-pending application Serial No. 190,637.

The details of the matter thus far described of themselves form no partof my present invention and may be as set forth in'the aforementionedapplications.

Referring particularly to Figs. '1, 2 and 3, the accumulator C ismounted on an arm 45 projecting outwardly from a stand 45 secured to theloomside and forming a support for lever l5. Bolted to the arm 45 is abase 41 extending horizontally and supporting a preferably transparenthollow cylinder 45 the lower end of which fits snugly into a seat 31 inthe base. Extending upwardly from the base is a rod adjustably held invertical position on the base by means of adjusting set screw 5|.Pivoted as at 52 to the top of the rod is a cover 53 for the cylinder.The cover may be held yieldingly in place by means of a hook 54 engagingthe top of the cover as at 55 and extending down through an ear 55 onthe base. A compression spring 51 is located between the ear andadjusting nuts 55 on the lower end of the hook. Ordinarily the partialvacuum existing within the cylinder 45 is suilicient to hold the coverin place, but when the latter is to be moved upwardly to permit removalof accumulated weft within the cylinder 48, the hook may be raisedagainst the action of spring 41 and thrown to one side, after which thecover can be swung around its pivot 52. The tube 35 is preferably madeof rubber and fits into a receiving head 59 integral with the cover andhaving a bore 80 which communicates with the interior of the cylinder45, see Fig. 5.

The base 41 has extending thereinto from the forward side a bore 85 therear of which is curved upwardly as at 85. The rear part of this borereceives a rubber tube 51 which fits snugly into the bore and provides apassage the interior surface of which offers frictional resistanceforward end of tube 18. The tube 88 is rotatable angular positions.

II. babe 18 projects forwardly into a guide member I2 held to the base"by a screw 18. The base 41, tube 18 and guide member 12 are fixed withrespect to the arm 45.

A second metallic tube 88 fits into a bore 8| of the guide member whichalso receives the in bore 8| and has a thread inlet port 82. In order toeffect partial rotation of tube 88 I provide a handle 88 passing throughtube 88 and into a plug 84 fitted tightly into the forward end of thetube to close'the outer end of tube 88. The guide member 12 is providedwith a vertical slot 85, which is in transverse alignment with the port82, and has upwardly extending horns 81 with diverging opposed surfaces88 lying on 'opposite sides of the slot 85. These horns and the slotbetween them define a guide pocket into which the weft ends W from thereserve bobbins may fall.

The means for retaining tube 88 and limiting its angular motion is shownin Figs. 3 and 'I, where the guide member 12 as shown as having a recess98 over a. portion of which fits a plate 9| held in place by a screw 82.A pin 83 (Fig. 3) carried by the tube 88 lies between plate 9| and part12 to hold the tube in longitudinal position, and engagement of the pinby the opposite vertical walls of the recess limits angular motion ofthe tube 88. The intake opening or port 82 is thus kept aligned with theslot 85 in all of its The tube 88 fits its bore 8| snugly to reduce to aminimum air losses which may arise when a vacuum is created in theaccumulator C.

A block 95 secured to the interior of tube 88 just behind the port 82projects to the right a .distance substantially equal to the radius ofthe interior of tube 88, as indicated in Fig. 7, thereby serving as aguide to require the weft threads W toextend along the center of thetube 88 and be exposed on all sides to the action of the inrushing air.

The base 4'! has projecting thereinto another tube I88 which connectswith an opening I8I in base 41 communicating with the air within thecylinder 48. Tube I88 projects to the left of the 'base as shown in Fig.4 and has the rubber tube -44 attached thereto. extends upwardly betweenthe inner end of tube A vertical bafile plate I82 I88 and the rubbertube 81 for the purpose of deflecting inrushing drafts of air from thesetwo tubes and preventing such interference as might reduce theefficiency of the system.

Projecting upwardly from the base 41 and within the cylinder is a rodI85 threaded into the base and held in fixed position by a nut I88. Therod is bent horizontally as at I81 and ends in 9. depending end sectionI88. The purpose of the rod is to prevent rotation of a mass of threadsT within the accumulator.

In operation, rearward motion of the lay will cause a partial vacuum inthe cylinder 48 to cause inrushes of air toward the interior of thecylinder through tubes 87 and I88. When the magazine is first suppliedwith reserve bobbins the handle 83 will be thrown temporarily to theraised position shown in Fig. 9 which will face port 82 upwardly betweenthe horns 81 and the weft ends W previously drawn off from the bobbinswill be laid down between said horns and across the port. During thefirst backward motion of the lay the inrushing air in the direction ofarrows a, Fig. 9, will draw the weft ends into the tube 88. Thesethreads will pass around the ilcient length to reach into the cylinder48 and after the threads have assumed the position shown in Fig. '7, thehandle 83 will be released and return by gravity to its normal positionshown in Fig. 8 where the port 82 faces the magazine. Thereafter theweft ends .will feed directly into the port 82 along substantiallystraight lines. At each subsequent rearward motion of the lay there willbe an inrush of air into the port to exert pneumatic pressure on the wetends W tending to keep them taut.

On a transferring beat of the loom one of the bobbins will move inwell-known manner from the magazine into the depleted shuttle S by meansof transferrer arm I8 and at some subsequent time in the operation ofthe loom the thread will be cut, after which the inrushing air will drawsaid cut end into thecylinder 48. As subsequent transfers occur therewill be an accumulation of thread ends in the cylinder 48, the weft endsof the reserve bobbins still held in the magazine being sufiicientlylong to project into the cylinder and become entangled with the mass ofthreads which serves as a thread holder. In this way the ball of yarnwithin the accumulator prevents twisting of the weft ends ing to thenumber of thread ends within the cylinder 48 and assisting in providingadditional anchorage for the weft ends W of the reserve bobbins. By thisconstruction the accumulator not only serves the purpose of providingvacuum for both the thread holder and the extractor, but requires allthreads released during a normal transfer to pass into it to provide aball of threads which serves as an anchor for the weft ends W.

From the foregoing it will be seen that I have provided pneumaticcontrol mechanism for the threads which are released at the time oftransfer, the threads from both the thread holder and extractor beingpassed into a common reservoir or accumulator pneumatically. It willalso be seen that the mass of weft within the accumulator is entangledwith the weft ends extending from the reserve bobbins and the forcetending to hold said weft ends taut is not only that arising from theinrush of air into the port 82 but also the resistance created byentanglement with the mass of threads. Furthermore, the thread removedby the extractor E forms part of the ball of yarn and thereby furtherassists in anchoring the weft ends W. It will also be seen that the port82 is movable so that weft ends from a freshly inserted supply ofbobbins can be laid between the horns 81 and drawn into the accumulatorwhen the tube 88 is temporarily turned to receiving position, afterwhich the tube returns to normal position facing the magazine. The block95 within the tube 88 requires the weft ends W to extend into the centerof the stream of air passing along the tube 88 to the accumulator.Furthermore, the accumulator is located close to the thread holder sothat a small length of yarn only is required to extend into the cy1-inder It for entanglement with the ball of yarn' therein.Rotationoftheballofyarniaprevented by the rod ill, and the baiiie plateIII also assists in directing the inrusbing streams of air innon-conflicting directions. The current of air passes upwardly throughthe yarn mass.

.drawing the incoming threads up into entangling relation with the yarnmass. The method by which the yarn mass becomes an anchorage for theweft ends is also a part of my invention. Having thus described myinvention it will be seen that changes and modifications may be madetherein by those skilled in the art without departing from the spiritand scope of the invention and I do not wish to be limited to thedetails herein disclosed, but what I claim is:

i. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends, a hollow weft end accumulator having a mass of threadstherein, a thread holder having an intake opening pneumaticallyconnected with the interior of the accumulator and into which the weftends extend, means to induce a draft of air into the opening andaccumulator to move the weft ends against and entangle them with saidmass of threads, and means to prevent rotation of said mass of threadswithin the accumulator.

2. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends, a hollow weft end accumulator having a mass of threadstherein, a thread holder having an intake opening into which the weftends extend and pneumatically connected with the interior of theaccumulator, means to create a partial vacuum within the accumulator toinduce a draft of air into' the opening and accumulator to move the weftends against and entangle them with said mass of threads, and a threadguard within the accumulator in engagement with said mass of threads toprevent rotation of the latter.

3. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends, a pneumatic thread holder at one side of the reserve bobbins,a rotatable tubular member forming part of said holder and having anintake opening, means to induce a draft of air into said intake, andoperating means by which said tubular member may be rotated to face theopening upwardly to permit weft ends from the bobbins to lie across saidopening preparatory to being drawn thereinto by the draft of air, saidtubular member thereafter being turned by said operating means to facethe intake opening toward the bobbins so that the weft ends extend fromthe latter directly into the opening.

4. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends, a supporting member, a tubular member having an intakeopening therein and angularly movable within said supporting member totwo angularly spaced positions one of which causes the intake opening toface the bobbins so that the weft ends extend from said bobbinsdirectly-into the opening, and said tubular member when in the otherposition causing the intake opening to face in a direction transverse ofthe direction in which the weft ends extend, said ends to lie over theintake opening, and means to induce a draft of air into said opening todraw the weft ends into the tubular member when the latter is in eitherof said positions.

5. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends, a fixed support, upwardly spaced guide horns on the supportdefining between them a thread receivareasingslot,atuberotatablymountedinthesupportandhavingalateralintaketoregister with said slot. said tube being movable angularly inthesupport toapositiontoplacetheintakein an upper position to receiveweft ends extending across the tube between said horns and said tubethereafter being movable to 'a position causing the intake to face thereserve bobbins. and means -tocausetheintaketoremaininregisterwiththeslotasthetubemovesangularlyinthesupport. p

6. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which wcftends extend, a fixed support, a tubular member angularly movable withinthe support and having a laterallyopeningintake,ahandleconnectedtosaidtubular membernormally in lowposition with the intake at one side of the tube facing the reservebobbins,saidtubebeingmovableangularlyinthe support by motion of thehandle to high position toplacetheintakeontheupperpartofthe tube toreceive weft ends extending from the reserve bobbins across the tube.stop means to limit motion of the handle to an angle less than 180, andmeans to induce a draft of air into said intake to draw the weft endsthereinto when the handle is in high position, said handle falling bygravity when released to return the intake to a position facing thereserve bobbins.

7. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends, a tubular member having an intake opening laterallythereinto, weft end guide means adjacent one side of the opening andextending into and part way across the interior of the tube, and meansto induce a draft of air into the opening in a direction around saidguide means to draw the weft ends into the opening. said guide meanscausing the weft ends to lie along lines spaced from the interior wallsof the tube.

8. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends, a tubular member having an intake opening laterallythereinto, a weft end guide on the interior of the tubular memberlocated at one side of the intake. and means to induce a draft of airinto the intake and within the tube in a direction from the intaketoward the guide to draw the weft ends into said intake and around theguide and along the interior of the tubular member, said guide locatedto place the weft ends approximately at the transverse center of thetubular member.

9. In a pneumatic thread control for a weft replenishing loom havingreserve bobbins from which extend weft ends and having a cloth with aselvage, a pneumatic thread extractor located adjacent the selvage toattract threads extending from the selvage, a pneumatic thread holderfor the weft ends, a common accumulator for the threads attracted by theextractor and the weft ends, and means pneumatically connecting thethread extractor and the thread holder with said common accumulator.

10. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends and having a fabric with a selvage, a hollow threadaccumulator, a thread extractor between the selvage and the reservebobbins having an intake mouth to receive a thread extending from theselvage, means to pneumatically connect the extractor to theaccumulator, a thread holder having an intake opening for the weft ends,means pneumatically connecting the intake opening in the thread holderwith the accumulator. and means to induce a partial vacuum in theaccumulator to induce a draft of air into the extractor to cause thesame to attract a thread extending from the selvage and also induce adraft of air into the intake of the thread holder to draw the weft endstoward the accumulator.

11. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends and having a fabric with a selvage, .a thread extractoradjacent the selvage and having an intake mouth to receive a threadextending from the selvage, a thread holder having an intake opening toreceive the weft ends of the reserve bobbins, a. hollow threadaccumulator for both the extractor and the thread holder, means definingan inclosed passage from the mouth of the extractor to the interior ofthe accumulator, other means defining an inclosed passage from theintake opening of the thread holder to the interior of the accumulator,and means to induce drafts of air into said mouth and said intakeopening to cause the thread extending from the selvage and the weft endsto move toward said accumulator.

12. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends and having a fabric with a salvage, a thread accumulatorcontaining a mass of thread, a pneumatic thread extractor adjacent theselvage and having an intake mouth to receive a thread extending fromthe selvage toward the reserve bobbins, a pneumatic thread holder havingan intake opening to receive the weft end from the reserve bobbins,means defining an inclosed passage to connect the mouth of the extractorwith the interior of the accumulator, other means to provide an inclosedpassage from the intake opening of the thread holder to the interior ofthe accumulator, and means to create a partial vacuum within theaccumulator to induce a draft of air into said mouth of the extractor tomove the thread extending from the selvage to said mass of yarn in theaccumulator and also induce a draft of air into said intake opening ofthe thread holder to move the weft ends into entangling engagement withthe mass of threads and the threads reaching the accumulator from saidmouth, the threadsreaching the accumulator from the extractor assistingby entanglement with the weft ends to hold the latter within theaccumulator.

13. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends and having a fabric with a selvage, a pneumatic threadextractor adjacent the selvage having an intake mouth for a threadextending from the selvage, a thread holder having an intake opening toreceive the weft ends of the reserve bobbins, a hollow threadaccumulator having a mass of threads therein, means to pneumaticallyconnect the interior of the accumulator with said mouth of the extractorand said intake opening of the thread holder, means to induce drafts ofair from said mouth and said intake opening to the interior of theaccumulator to move threads connected to the selvage and said weft endsinto the accumulator, threads from the extractor increasing the mass ofyarn within the accumulator and the weft ends being entangled with andheld by the mass of thread within the accumulator.

14. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends and having a fabric with a selvage, a pneumatic threadextractor adjacent the selvage and having an intake mouth to receivethreads extending from the selvage, a pneumatic thread holder having anintake opening to receive said weft ends, a hollow thread accumulatorhaving a mass of thread therein, means defining an inclosed passagebetween the mouth of the extractor and the lower part of the interior ofthe accumulator below said mass of threads, other means defining aninclosed passage between the intake opening of the thread holder and thebottom of the interior of said accumulator below said mass of thread,and means connected to the upper part of the accumulator above said massof threads to create a partial vacuiim within the accumulator andthereby induce a draft of air into said mouth to draw threads extendingfrom the selvage into the lower part of the accumulator and also inducea draft of air into the intake opening of the thread holder to-move theweft ends into the accumulator and entangle said weft ends with saidmass of threads by the action of a current of air moving upwardlythroughsaid mass" of threads, the threads received by the accumulatorfrom the extractor forming part of said mass of threads and assisting inentangling the weft ends to hold the latter within the accumulator.

15. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends and having a fabric with a selvage, a pneumatic threadextractor having an intake mouth adjacent the selvage to receive threadsextending from the selvage, a pneumatic thread holder having an.

intake mouth to receive the weft ends, a hollow thread accumulator,means defining an inclosed passage between the mouth and the bottom ofthe interior of the accumulator, other means defining an inclosedpassage between the intake opening of the thread holder and the bottomof the interior of the accumulator, means to induce drafts of air intothe mouth and said intake open ing through said means into theaccumulator, the drafts of air from the first and second named meansentering the accumulator in opposite directions, and baflle means withinthe accumulator to prevent interference of the drafts of air coming fromsaid first and second means.

16. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends, a hollow holder having a mass of threads confined therein, ahollow guide for the weft ends leading .toward the holder, the weft endsbeing of sufficient length to extend through the hollow guide and engagethe mass of threads in the holder, and means to induce a draft of airthrough the guide toward the holder and pneumatically move the weft endstoward and entangle them with the mass of threads.

17. In a weft replenishing loom having reserve bobbins from which extendweft ends, a hollow pneumatic thread holder having an intake opening toreceive said weft ends, a hollow accumulator having amass of threadsconfined therein, hollow connections between said intake opening and thelower part of the interior of said accumulator, the weft ends being ofsuflicient length to extend through the opening and hollow connectionsand have contact with the mass of threads in the accumulator, and meansto induce a draft of air into the intake opening and along saidconnections and into the lower part of said accumulator, said draft ofair moving the weft ends and entangling them with the mass of threads inthe accumulator.

18. In a weft replenishing loom having reservebobbins from whichextendweft ends, a hollow accumulator having a mass of threads confinedtherein, a pneumatic thread holder having an intake opening into whichthe weft ends extend, hollow connections between the intake opening caulster :nd having contact with the interior of thelmcumulator abovethreat confined within the accumulator.

pneumatic commutation with the lower of lutllclent lanzth to theinterior-01am lccumuhtor below of threads, and mum communlotthelntu'lorottheaccumuhem: through hollowanyllnto, locum mum m m 6mm

